Quick summary: Microsoft's Dynamics NAV end-of-sale date is 30th April 2031, but most NAV versions are already out of mainstream support. NAV 2018's extended security support ends in January 2028, so the real deadline for a safe migration to Business Central is much sooner than 2031.
If you are running Dynamics NAV, you have probably seen the headline by now: Microsoft has set an end-of-sale date of 30th April 2031.
What does this mean for your business?
End of sale means Microsoft stops letting you buy or renew NAV licenses after that date. That means, no renewing Service Plans, subscription licenses, or topping up perpetual licenses. Your system will not switch itself off. But most businesses are not actually going to hit that wall first. They are going to hit the support wall, and that one’s much closer.
Every version of NAV has already aged out of mainstream support. If you are on NAV 2018, the final release Microsoft ever shipped, extended support (the bit that still covers security patches) runs out in January 2028.
Why shouldn’t you wait until 2031 to migrate off NAV?
Waiting to migrate off Dynamics NAV increases security risk, creates audit and compliance exposure, shrinks your access to NAV expertise, and risks missing Microsoft's current migration incentives before they expire:
- Security exposure compounds. Every year on an unpatched system is another year of vulnerabilities nobody is fixing.
- It shows up in audits. If your auditors, board, or a potential investor asks what system your financials run on, "unsupported NAV" is not the answer you want to give.
- The expertise pool is shrinking. Fewer consultants know the older NAV architecture every year, and the ones who do are getting harder to book.
- The financial incentives will not last forever. Microsoft's current migration funding rewards early movers. It will not still be there once everyone's rushing for the exit at the same time.
None of this means dropping everything tomorrow. It means giving yourself the room to plan the move on your terms, while the expertise and the incentives are still there to make it easier.
What’s the difference between NAV and Business Central?
Business Central is Microsoft’s direct cloud successor to NAV. It’s the same product lineage, so a lot will feel familiar to your team.
What changes is what you gain: continuous cloud updates instead of a frozen version, native connections into Outlook, Excel, Teams and Power BI, and Copilot-powered AI built in for things like bank reconciliation and reporting. (See how you can use Copilot in Business Central to analyse data faster in this on-demand demo.) For finance teams specifically, that tends to mean a faster close and cleaner reporting without having to stitch together spreadsheets to get there.
How does a NAV to Business Central migration work?
A lot of the hesitation around migrating comes down to not knowing what the process involves. It's rarely the black box it sounds like.
It usually starts with an assessment. Before anything moves, we look at what you are actually running: which NAV modules and customisations you rely on day-to-day, what data needs to come across, and what can be left behind or rebuilt more cleanly in Business Central. Not every customisation from years ago still earns its place. Some are workarounds for problems Business Central already solves natively.
From there, you get a clear picture of scope, timeline, and cost before committing to anything. That's the point where a plan shapes that you can take to your board or leadership team with real numbers attached, not a guess.
Only once that's agreed does the build-and-migrate work begin, typically running alongside your existing NAV system so operations do not skip a beat until you are ready to cut over.
Note that you do not need to do the migration on your own. The Business Central experts from a trusted, long-time Microsoft Solutions Partner for Business Applications like Professional Advantage can help you every step of the way.
We have been implementing Microsoft ERP systems for Australian businesses for almost 40 years, and Business Central migrations from legacy Dynamics products such as NAV and GP are a big part of that. A few things that make the process easier with us:
- We're a Microsoft Tier 1 CSP, so licensing, billing, and technical support all come through one point of contact instead of being split across multiple vendors.
- Our implementation approach is tailored to the industry rather than being one-size-fits-all. Whether you are in not-for-profit, membership, distribution, or financial services, the setup reflects how your sector actually operates.
- The relationship does not end at go-live. We provide ongoing support and training as part of how we work, so your team keeps getting more out of the system as it evolves. We even have a Client Care Program in place to provide comprehensive management and support throughout the successful, ongoing lifecycle of your Business Central solution.
"We have a long-standing relationship with PA. We trust them, and we are confident in what they can achieve for us." – Sean Edwards, Financial Controller, Navigator Global Investments. [Read their story here.]
What incentives are available for migrating from NAV to Business Central?
Microsoft's current migration offer, Bridge to Cloud 3 (BTC3), runs from 1st of January 2026, through 31st of December 2027 and gives eligible customers a 30% discount on Business Central Online, locked in for a fixed three-year term. It also keeps your Enhancement Plan renewed at no extra cost for the life of the promotional term, and NAV customers with high concurrent user counts who move to Business Central online may qualify for additional savings on top of the base discount.
There is also a Microsoft-funded voucher program that can offset implementation costs. These windows are time-limited, so the earlier you start the conversation, the more of this funding you are likely to still qualify for.
How do I get started with a Dynamics NAV migration?
Start your Dynamics NAV migration assessment now rather than waiting until closer to 2031, so you have time to plan properly and still qualify for current Microsoft migration incentives.
If you want to know exactly where you stand, book your free consultation, and we will map out what the move looks like for your business.
